1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bearings for railway vehicle axles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional bearing for a railway vehicle axle comprises a brass bearing block having a part-cylindrical bore to receive the axle which bore is coated with a bearing material such as babbitt. The problem with such bearings is that overheating frequently occurs due often to poor lubrication and the bearing material is then rapidly worn away. If the overheating is not promptly detected all the bearing material may be worn away and the axle then runs on the brass block which is a poor bearing material and damage to the axle usually results. Furthermore the brass block has a high scrap value. The bearing blocks are frequently stolen from the vehicle of a train leaving the train immobile. Certain railway vehicles use roller bearings instead of bearing blocks and whilst such bearings overcome the above difficulties, their cost is considerably greater than that of the simple bearing block.